Flight watch adapter



March 22, 1966 l B. E. FORNEY 3,241,308

FLIGHT WATCH ADAPTER Filed Aug.l 14, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.BILL E. FORNEY ATTORNEY March 22, 1966 3E, FORNEY 3,241,308

FLIGHT WATCH ADAPTER Filed Aug. 14, 1964 4 2 sheets-sheet 2 INVENTOR.B/LL EA FO NEY ATTORNEY United States Patent() 3,241,308 FLIGHT WATCHADAPTER Bill E. Forney, P.0. Drawer 1710, Tulsa, Okla. Filed Aug. 14,1964, Ser. No. 389,699 6 Claims. (Cl. 58-152) The present invention `isrelated to devices for automatically computing problems involvingdistance, time and speed. More specifically, the invention relates to a.combination of a wrist watch and movable scales used 1n an airplane toindicate ground speed, changes in ground speed and time of arrival overknown positions on the ground.

A pilot makes many ment-al calculations while his aircraft is in flight.He keeps many instruments under constant surveillance lin order to guidehis craft safely and efficiently from its point of departure to itsdestination. The pilot must be able to deterrriine his dlstance fromselected check points at all times. This is usually accomplished by timeconsuming and tedious in-fligh-t calculations by the pilot who mustconcurrently ffy the airplane and monitor all engine and flightinstruments.

The pilot has need for a simple, inexpensive means, which can be carriedon his person, to tell him, at a glance, ground speed, changes in groundspeed, distance from a known point on the ground, and time of arrival atlknown positions on lthe ground which will minimize the tlme he spendsin calculations and provide .him more time for actual flying duties,radio operation and watching for other traic.

An object of this invention is to provide continuous positioninformation to a pilot by the use of a watch worn on the wrist.

Another object `is to utilize the time keeping mechanism of a wristwatch to automatically calculate speed.

A third object is to enable a pilot wearing a wristwatch t-o predict andrecord his times of arrival at, or over, selected points on his iiightpath.

The invention contemplates utilizing a common wrist watch and astructure joined to the watch for supporting scales adjacent to thewatch hands. The scales are calibrated and adjustable so that theposition of the wearer of the watch, relative to a known point on theground, is continuously indicated on the scales. Further, the scales canbe so adjusted, in accordance with the known dist-ance between points onthe ground, that ground speed can be read directly from the scales byuse of the watch hands. Adjustable indicators on the scales, when usedwith .the watch hands, record times of arrival over ground points Iandthe moving watch hands continuously record chan-ging amounts of lapsedtime between current positions and recorded points.

Other objects, advantages and features of this invention will becomemore apparent to one skilled in the art upon consideration of thewritten specification, appended clai-ms and the attached drawings,wherein:

FIG. 1 is an exploded isometric of a wrist watch and the components ofstructure embodying t-he present invention as oriented with respect tothe watch;

FIG. 2 is a partially sectioned elevation of the watch as mounted on awrist of the -user with the various components of the novel structureassembled in operative relation to each other; and

FIG. 3 is a legended plan View of the scales and watch face illustratinghow the information provided by the i-nvention is interpreted.

Referring to the drawings, FIG. 1 shows all the various components ofthe structure which embody the present invention. FIG. 2 shows thesecomponents assembled for 3,241,308- Patented Mar. 22, 1966 ice use,strapped to the wrist of the user. Taken together, the construction andarrangement of these parts can be understood.

In FIG. 1 a regular, common watch 1 is shown with strap lengths 2 and 2Awhich mount the watch on the wrist inthe usual manner. The hands of thiswatch 1 4are viewed in correlation with the structure of the remainderof the embodiment of the invention to carry out the function of theinvention.

Basically, a scale member is held adjacent the watch hands to carry outthe function of the invention. To hold this scale properly, a fiat plate3 is placed beneath the. watch 1 back and the Wrist withscale-supporting structure mounted on this base. Extensions 4 and 5 aremounted, on fiat plate 3, and on each side of the watch 1. rI'he scalesupport structure is attached to these extensions.

When stating that the watch 1 is placed over plate 3, it should bepointed out that the watch 1 may specifically rest on a pad 6 ofresilient material. Pad 6 may be of sponge rubber and glued to thecenter of plate 3. This resilient body will then urge the watch bodylgently upward, into firm engagement with the scale-supporting structure.

Extensions 4 and 5 may be given various forms. However they are for-med,they `are to be engaged with Afixture 7 so as to both support thisfixture and carry the fixtureI into engagement with watch 1.

The fixture 7 is removably attached to extensions 4 and 5. Threadedengagement is preferred so that the fixture can be manually rotated inuse. The fixture isscrewed down on extensions 4 and 5, pressing watch 1into pad 6 to hold these parts in fixed relationship on the wrist. Aknurled ridge 8 is provided to make the manual m-anipulation of thefixture easy.

A central hole 9 is provided through the fixture 7. This hole is sized-t-o permit the viewing of watch faces within a fairly large range ofsizes an-d their hands oriented with the scales carried on the face 10of fixture 7. Ridge 8 is extended above the face 10 surface and shapedto hold a circular scale firmly by the inside lip of the ridge, yet sothe' Scale can be removed readily as desired. Fixture 7 can be removedfrom extensions 4 and 5 and a pencil inf serted in hole 11 or 12 to pushthe scale out of engagement with ridge 8.

Scale 13 is circular and sized to be pressed into retaining engagementwith ridge 8. The scale has a hole 14 which aligns with hole 9 infixture 7 to permit viewing the hands of watch 1. This scale bearsconcentric ranges of ground speed to cooperate with the hands of watch 1in carrying out the basic function of the structure.

Finally, structure-wise, a movable index 15 is provided to rotate overthe scale 13 and in relation to watch 1. A line 16 is carried on thisindex 1S, radiating outward from the center of the watch, aligning withthe -hands of the watch and overlying the ranges of the scale 13. Thebody of this index is preferably transparent, or at least translucentenough to discern the figures on the ranges of the scale and therelation of the line 16 to them. Therefore, the structure provides ascale movable with respect to the watch and an index movable withrespect to both the watch and scale.

FIG. 3 has been established to illustrate use of the invention inproviding the various pieces of information which :are the objects ofthe invention. Scale 13 is shown as rotated to a specific relationshipwith the face of watch 1. Around the scale and face, suitable legendshave been placed to illustrate how the specific relationship isinterpreted by the wearer of the device.

A scale 13 has been selected which has middle markings 20 based on theas-sumed, approximate, normal ground speed of the aircraft used by thepilot.` In the illustrated example -of FIG. 3, 130 miles per `hour isthe ground speed.

On each side of the markings 20 are placed additional ground speedmarkings. These markings correspond to ground speeds of mile per hourvariations from the 130 unile `per hour markings 20. Therefore, scale 13provides =a4 reasonable range of variation from the normal ground speedto compensate for head and t-ail wind effects on the aircraft. y

In FIG. 3 it is assumed that the airplane left a check point 21 at 2:53by the watch. This check point 21 could be the airport from which theflight originated or some known point on the ground which was own overat that time.

The Ipresent position of the plane is indicated by the schematicrepresentation of a plane at 22, at the time indicated, 3:00. The minutehand at 3:00 also indicates on scale markings that l5 miles have beentraveled in the 7 minutes of elapsed time from the check point 21.

A second known check point 23 is scheduled to be passed over at 3:04',should the ground speed be maintained constant. If the known check point23 is actually passed at a different time than indicated on scalemarkings 2 0, the additional markings on either side of the 130 milesvper hour markings will give the change in ground speed caused by thechange in head or tail wind.

.Assumingthe ight is proceeding normally, the estimated, time of arrivalwill remain valid. Hairline 16 has been rotated to the position on scalemarkings 20 which indicates the miles to destination Z4. The destination24 is 50 miles from origin 21 and the time of arrival is simultaneouslyindicated as 3:16.

From the foregoingl it will be seen that this invention is one welladapted to attain all of the ends and objects hereinabove set forth,together with other advantages which are obvious and which are inherentto the apparatus.

I t will be understood that certain features and subcombinations are ofutility and may be employed Without reference to other features andsubcombinations. This is contemplated by and is within the scope of theclaims.

As many possible embodiments may be made of the invention withoutdeparting from the scope thereof, it is to be understood that all matterherein set forth or shown in the accompanying drawings is to beinterpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

The present invention having been described, what is claimed is: v

1. A calculator attachment for a wrist watch, including,

a watch adapted to be worn on the wrist,

a retaining member connected to the watch in a manner to hold the watchon the wrist,

a at plate positioned between the wrist and back of the watch,

a pad of resilient material positioned between the plate and the back ofthe watch,

extensions on the at plate extending away from the wrist and on eachside of the watch,

a fixture for supporting scales removably attached to the extensions tocapture the watch on the pad as the pad urges the watch into stableviewing position toward an aperture through which a watch face within arange of sizes can be viewed,

and a scale mounted on the fixture about the aperture for correlationwith the hands of the watch.

2. The attachment of claim 1 in which,

the fixture for supporting the scales is removably attached to theextensions on the flat plate by threaded engagement.

3. The attachment of claim 1 in which,

the scale is mounted on the xture about the aperture so as to rotate onthe xture with respect to the face of the watch Viewed through theaperture.

4. The attachment of claim 1 in which,

an index is mounted on the fixture so as to be movable with respect tothe scale mounted on the fixture and the watch face.

5. The scale of claim 3 is removably retained.

6. The index of claim 4 is removably retained.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,704,230 3 /1929Walker 5 8-152- 1,986,328 l/1935 Dreyfus 58-105 2,909,893 10/ 1959Fiechter 58-90 FOREIGN PATENTS 81,638 7/ 1919 Switzerland. 3 08,601 10/195 5 Switzerland.

LOUIS J. CAPOZI, Primary Examiner.

LEO SMILOW, Examiner.

G. F. BAKER, Assistant Examiner.

1. A CALCULATOR ATTACHMENT FOR A WRIST WATCH, INCLUDING, A WATCH ADAPTEDTO BE WORN ON THE WRIST, A RETAINING MEMBER CONNECTED TO THE WATCH IN AMANNER TO HOLD THE WATCH ON THE WRIST, A FLAT PLATE POSITIONED BETWEENTHE WRIST AND BACK OF THE WATCH, A PAD OF RESILIENT MATERIAL POSITIONEDBETWEEN THE PLATE AND THE BACK OF THE WATCH, EXTENSIONS ON THE FLATPLATE EXTENDING AWAY FROM THE WRIST AND ON EACH SIDE OF THE WATCH, AFIXTURE FOR SUPPORTING SCALES REMOVABLY ATTACHED TO THE EXTENSIONS TOCAPTURE THE WATCH ON THE PAD AS THE PAD URGES THE WATCH INTO STABLEVIEWING POSITION TOWARD AND APERTURE THROUGH WHICH A WATCH FACE WITHINGA RANGE OF SIZES CAN BE VIEWED, AND A SCALE MOUNTED ON THE FIXTURE ABOUTTHE APERTURE FOR CORRELATION WITH THE HANDS OF THE WATCH.